Okay, so, this chapter. Hardest chapter to write in this story. Ever. I'm not even kidding – I've been working on it for two weeks.

And as to the content:

omgTehAngstz0rs

Yeah, it's pretty intense. I'm a little afraid that Ash is going to seem out of character ... but I'm hoping that when it's considered that he's going through Massive Emotional Trauma, his actions will make sense. At the very least, you can amuse yourself with the extremely gratuitous fluff near the end. It's pretty descriptive, but still within a PG-13 rating. I figure that since I've been so vague about their physical activities, you guys deserved some idea of what's ACTUALLY going on. :grins:

Okay, enough of my babbling (coffee happiness).

Enjoy the update!

For a Knight's Lady

By: EarthDragonette

Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.

Rating: PG-13

Although every one of Mary-Lynnette's instincts told her that she should go to Ash's room and wait for him, her attempt to leave the pup inspired such desperate howls that she couldn't bear to go. Taking him from Thea, Mary-Lynnette observed that the blonde witch looked relieved to have handed over the responsibility.

"I'm sorry about this," Thea apologized as the two walked back to the Circle Daybreak nursery.

Shifting the pup's weight (which seemed to increase the sleepier he got), Mary-Lynnette tossed Thea a small smile. "Don't worry about it," she said. "It was bound to happen anyway, once you asked me to help watch him."

Thea lifted her shoulders helplessly, scooting in front of Mary-Lynnette to open the door to the children's wing of Thierry's mansion. "I thought it would be a good idea for the two of you to get to know each other a little more before being stuck in a car together. Though," she observed, giving Mary-Lynnette a knowing look, "he really seems to have taken to you."

Giving into impulse and running her nose along the bridge of the cub's nose, Mary-Lynnette found herself semi-mesmerized by the young wolf's violet eyes. Her trance was broken, however, when they entered the cub's room. Walking inside, she looked around with interest, unsure of what to do.

"Now, what?"

Thea leaned out of the door into the hallway, her mind taking on the unmistakable look of telepathic concentration. A few moments later, Mary-Lynnette heard the sound of a door opening followed by rapid footsteps. She was surprised when a welcome, but unexpected, figure emerged.

"Poppy?" the human girl asked, her voice rising slightly.

The vampire smiled, gathering her hair into a bun on top of her head as she swept across the room. "In the flesh," she quipped, patting her hair and then rubbing her hands together. "Is our little wolf man back?"

Remembering how hyperactive Poppy had a tendency to be, Mary-Lynnette couldn't help the hesitation she felt in handing over her charge. Suspecting the reason for the human girl's reservations, Poppy tossed her a cheerful grin.

"Don't be such a worry-wart!" she exclaimed, reaching out to take the cub in her hands. "I've had a ton of practice at this over the past year and a half. Jamie and I like helping to take care of the Daybreak kids. It's a lot less dangerous then training new agents how to fight or use psychic energy." Winking at Thea, she took the pup to a changing table to ready him for bed.

Although it was difficult to admit it, Mary-Lynnette had to grant that Poppy knew how to handle the werewolf child. Even if he was unsettled at being taken away from his new mother-like figure, Poppy seemed to be familiar to him, and he quickly settled into her ministrations.

Still, she couldn't help but inquire: "I thought werewolf pups were really attached to their parental figures?"

Thea smiled kindly at her. "They are," she confirmed. "To their mothers and their surrogate mothers; that's undoubtedly why he's so reluctant to leave you. But," she continued, "pups are used to being left with various pack members – especially if their own mother is routinely part of pack hunts. To him, he's just temporarily being handed around right now. His instincts tell him that he'll eventually be back with the members that he's bonded with the most."

Watching Poppy carefully as the vampire placed the pup in a specially constructed crib, Mary-Lynnette commented, "I still can't believe he bonded to me as quickly as he did. We've only known each other for a day, but he acts like he's known me his whole life."

Thea leaned against the wall, studying the pup closely. "I've been wondering about that too," she admitted. "Although it's not unusual for pups to form attachments to beings outside of their pack in times of distress, it normally takes a lot longer than a day. The bond between a birth mother and her cub is exceptionally strong."

Walking to the two other girls after checking the baby monitor, Poppy put her fingers to her lips and motioned for them to leave the room. Once outside, she turned to them and remarked, "I think he may be in a really needy mood. He hasn't been responding to feeding and social interactions the way most cubs do. He's a lot ... twitchier. And he doesn't like being left alone."

"Do you think he's in a state of shock?" Mary-Lynnette suggested, remembering the savage tone of the prior evening's fight.

Poppy nodded. "Probably. Whatever it was that he saw last night, I think it made an impression on him. He could be reaching out to you and Ash because you were both the first safe things that he had contact with after the attacks. It's a natural human phenomenon to cling to saviors, and werewolves are by nature part human."

Hearing Ash's name reminded her of the state her soulmate had been in a short time before. Feeling an overwhelming urge to return to him and find out what exactly happened during his meeting with Reina, she excused herself and headed back to the other side of the house. Given its tremendous size and the several stops she was forced to make to chat with new acquaintances, it was almost a full hour before she returned to Ash's room.

Locking the door behind her, Mary-Lynnette heard the sound of the shower running. She poked her head inside of the bedroom, and, when her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, could just make out an untidy bundle outside of the bathroom door. Figuring that Ash had other things to wear and wanting to help keep his suite clean, she gathered up the jeans and shirt and went to toss them into the hamper in front of the closet. Before the clothes left her hands, however, her attention was once again drawn to the wretched smell emanating from them. Wrinkling her nose, she sat on the bed and carefully fingered the material, trying to place the horrid, yet somewhat recognizable, odor.

It's funny, Mary-Lynnette thought to herself, only dimly aware that the sound of water running had stopped. When I first smelled whatever this is, I really couldn't stand it. She leaned forward and gave the shirt a delicate sniff, finding that what she had first taken as being some kind of pesticide-scent now seemed more like jasmine. There's so much of it on here, she observed, that it completely overwhelmed me. It's like ... like...

Just then Ash opened the door, looking exhausted but vaguely refreshed in a pair of gray sweatpants, and temporarily flooding the area with light from the bathroom. Mary-Lynnette looked down at the pile in her hands, feeling foolish for taking so long to make the connection.

It's exactly like women's perfume. An ungodly amount of women's perfume.

Not bothering to mask her previous thoughts from him, her next comment was therefore not completely unexpected. "And it's on your pants?"

Ash groaned, running his fingers through still-damp hair. He walked to her and retrieved the clothes, bundling them in his towel before setting them firmly in the hamper. When he turned back around to face her, the tension in the air was almost tangible.

"Mary-Lynnette, it's not what-"

"Ash," she interrupted, biting her bottom lip in an effort to keep her emotions under control. Determined not to give into the aching sensation of anxiety in her stomach, she took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm not going to accuse you of anything ... but I know something's wrong." Her eyes rose to meet his as she gripped the bedspread. "Tell me what happened."

Ash let out a breath he had only been vaguely aware of holding, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Leaning forward, he braced his forearms on top of his thighs, folding his hands together. As he began to talk, his hair fell slightly and hid the side of his face from her. "It all started when I met Reina at the Iris," he began.

Over the next half-hour, Ash recounted the evening's events, describing to Mary-Lynnette the nature of the club that Reina had taken him to as well as the benefits that he was exposed to as a VIP guest. His earlier assumption was proven correct as she paled when he revealed the existence of the human slaves. He had finished outlining the strategies he used to avoid drinking the girls when Mary-Lynnette raised her hand, visibly disturbed.

"Hold on," she commanded. I don't know how to deal with all of this, she thought to herself, unsure of what she wanted to say to Ash, but certain that she didn't want to hear more about his evening for the present. To add to it, she didn't know what was upsetting her the most: the events from the club, or really, what they said about the events from his past. She swallowed with some difficulty before remarking, "Don't think I'm not happy that you didn't, that you didn't drink the girls. But how could you even go into a place like that? Not only tonight," she clarified, "but …before. I don't understand how you ever could have thought that it was okay to use people like that."

Ash cracked his knuckles, rubbing his palms together in thought. He knew she wasn't going to like the answer that he would give. "Mary-Lynnette," he gently reminded her, "before I met you ... humans weren't people."

Oh. "Uh, right," she replied. His answer didn't calm her in the least, but she wasn't sure what else to say. The room was filled with silence for a few moments before Ash cleared his throat.

"Look, I can't make you understand how I was raised," he said, briefly meeting her eyes before looking down to examine the carpet. "I can't explain why it didn't matter to me until a year ago that humans have feelings. I guess it's sort of like how you think about cows. Humans were useful to me; they had stuff I needed, and, well, why not drink their blood surrounded by music and other Nightpeople? Why go out hunting in the wild every night when I could have willing ... when I could eat just as well inside a club?"

"But you seduced the girls," Mary-Lynnette pointed out, fighting her conflicting emotions. "It wasn't simply a process of observing the food chain."

Ash had to concede. "No ... you're right. It wasn't."

There was another pause before Mary-Lynnette had the courage to ask, "What did you feel tonight?"

A pained look crossed his face before he responded: "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do." Ash furrowed his brow, the words not coming easily to him. "Harder than turning away from the Nightworld, harder than turning on my old friends, harder than lying to my family about being a Daybreaker."

It was almost too much. "Why?" she ventured.

"As soon as I walked in," Ash confessed, "for that first minute ... for an awful minute, I felt like I'd come home. I wish that I hadn't felt that way, but when I stepped into the back room, I was some place that I understood. I knew what to do, what people wanted from me." He shook his head, his lips forming a half-smile. "Here, at Circle Daybreak, I never feel like I know what I'm doing. Not like that."

Mary-Lynnette shifted slightly, sliding closer to Ash. When he continued, she could feel that the conversation was taking a toll on him "I think ... there are different ways to be a vampire. I guess that's something I've been learning about this past year."

Ash looked down at Mary-Lynnette's hand and picked it up, holding it in both of his. "I'm not human," he murmured, turning to her and meeting her gaze head-on. "I'm not like you. Even if I see what I did before we met as being wrong, there's something inside of me that still recognizes what I used to do as being right because ... well ... because it worked."

It's like any predator using his skills to catch his prey, she realized. Only ... warped.

He nodded to her. "Yeah, sort of. And ... and I think that since I left you, part of my goal has been ... to be a vampire ... with conscience. I just don't always know how to do that." He ran his thumbs over the palm of her hand, gently massaging the muscles. "I don't always know what it means to be a good predator, and I don't know what's supposed to guide me. I can't look at the other vampires here, because they don't have my demons. They don't understand me." He gave a dry 'heh' sound. "Most of them don't even like me."

His eyes turned bright green, his grip on her hands almost desperate as he revealed: "I guess all I have ... is you."

Mary-Lynnette was startled, almost pulling away in surprise. She knew that his efforts to make up for his past had been for her, but it was entirely different to be ... like his North Star. It was something else entirely to be his standard.

Before she could really process what he'd said, Ash moved on. "I have you, and ... I guess I have the structure of Circle Daybreak. But, what I really can't stand is how much I feel like what I do for the organization hurts you." He stood up suddenly, dropping her hand to pace around the room in agitation. "I hate being a spy like this!" he burst out, swinging around and resting his hand against the wall. "I hate every minute of it, Mary-Lynnette. I hate this image. I hate the half-truths. I hate feeling like I'm hiding – like I'm not actually risking myself. I hate dancing around what I used to be and tricking others because they can't get out of the same demented cycle that I used to be in."

His pain driving into her heart as if it were her own, and desperately wanting to comfort him, Mary-Lynnette stood and went to him, placing her hand on his back. "Ash," she soothed, pushing aside her own feelings for the moment. "You should look at the bigger picture. All the things that you find out for Circle Daybreak help to save the lives of so many people. But even you can't stop everyone's pain. No one can. You can only do what you feel is right. Even if ... some people ... get hurt along the way, so many others will have better lives for it."

"Don't be such a saint, Mary-Lynnette," he countered, his voice sounding very tired. "I know that my work hurts you. I'm your soulmate, remember? I can tell that it upsets you when I get close to other girls – when I put on the ruthless vampire act. I remember your dream." His voice was bitter when he added: "And that just makes it worse. When you're in pain, I'm in pain – because you're my other half, and I love you so much."

"Ash –"

"But that's not all of it, though."

Mary-Lynnette stopped trying to interject, sensing that there was something else behind all of this.

"Tonight ... tonight, I saw Reina – the way she really is: not as a spy, not as one of Hunter's women. I don't know why reading her mind was different this time – I didn't do anything that I don't always do. Maybe I was just ... overwhelmed and sloppy." Ash glanced over at Mary-Lynnette and saw that her face was full of concern. Sensing her support, he slowly resumed: "Whatever it was, for the first time, I read the mind of one of my assignments as if she were a regular person. And when I scanned Reina, all of the things that I picked up made me feel like I was scanning myself."

He turned to face her, reaching out to grab her elbows. "Don't you see, Mary-Lynnette? The people that made her the way she is, the ideas that she clings to as truths ... they were all things that I recognized. She's just like how I am." He shuddered, his emotions starting to spiral out of control. "I realized, then, that every time I go out and manipulate somebody, I might as well be manipulating myself. Every witch, every vampire, every werewolf, every shapeshifter ... I'm not just attacking the Nightworld ... I'm attacking me."

Mary-Lynnette could feel tears threatening. Where was the confidence? Where was the pride that pushed him through life – that helped him push his way into her heart? How could she possibly have missed sensing this much confusion in him?

I never knew you felt this way, she projected to him as she slid her hands up his arms to hold him.

He tilted his head downward, resting his face in her hair. I didn't know, either. I didn't know any of this until tonight, until I saw ... God, Mary-Lynnette, it was like a mirror. A sick, twisted mirror.

She shook her head vehemently. I don't know exactly what you saw, Ash, but Reina is not you. Those other girls, they're not you. Yes, you may have grown up in similar circumstances, but your path isn't the same as theirs. And Reina ... she's still Hunter's toy; you've moved on, you're working for good. You can't let who you were haunt you like this.

Although comforted by Mary-Lynnette's belief in him, Ash couldn't forget the images he saw in the female vampire's mind. Or the myriad of emotions that he'd received from his soulmate in the past year when it came to his former behavior. Her judgments and opinions meant the world to him, and he wanted so badly to be somebody that she could respect. The thought that he still might not be good enough, that he might never be enough for her, was terrifying. Mary-Lynnette needed somebody who was worthy of her.

I can't lose you, he stated, holding her tighter. I'm not where I need to be yet, but I'm trying. I swear I'll make you proud of me.

Unsettled by how much his desire for redemption was tormenting him, a thought began to form at the back of Mary-Lynnette's mind; so far back that even Ash couldn't discern it:

What if ... what if I was too demanding last year?
What if I was wrong in telling him he had to be more like me, for us to be together?
What if I was wrong to send him away to do it?

Pushing aside the unwelcome sentiments for later, she reached up and threaded her fingers in his still-damp locks.

"It's okay," she whispered. "It really is. Things aren't as bad as they feel."

Resting her forehead against Ash's, she assured him: I love you. I'm not going to leave you. I don't even know if I could, now. We're getting so far into this ... I can't always remember where I'm me and you're you.

He exhaled violently, his emotions finally breaking free of their restraints. Blindly searching for her lips, his mouth found hers in a matter of seconds, sealing the vow with a demanding kiss. Unable to deny him, Mary-Lynnette followed his lead, still unsteady in this world of passion. Feeling lightheaded and weak, she leaned against him, grateful when he slid down her body and picked her up, carrying her to the bed.

Ash gently laid her on top of the comforter, his eyes shifting into a deep violet color when he saw that Mary-Lynnette's were burning their steady midnight blue. His breathing labored, he sat next to her and took a moment to run his fingertips over her forehead and down the side of her face, gazing at her with a look of fervent reverence. With his other hand, he gently began to comb it through her hair, using infinite care and patience when he met a slight tangle or curl. Mary-Lynnette was completely captivated by him, feeling warmth work its way all over her body.

Lifting up her hands, she trailed her own fingers down Ash's face, taking in every possible detail, from the smooth texture of freshly-shaven skin, to the fullness of his lips and his high cheekbones, to the small scars that doubtless had their own stories to tell. He seemed as spellbound as she was, and neither one honestly knew who it was that instigated the kiss that followed. Perhaps him. Perhaps her. Perhaps both.

Slipping his arms underneath her body, Ash drew her to him, rolling over and taking her with him until they were both comfortably draped on the bed. She moaned softly, the noise and accompanying mental echo doing much to fuel Ash's already heightened senses. Catching her lips again and again, he could feel himself falling into her, body to body and soul to soul.

I adore you.

The phrase resounded over and over again in Mary-Lynnette's head, each subsequent rendition as full of tenderness and yearning as the ones before. With such waves of love surrounding her, it was only natural that Mary-Lynnette's held back tears would eventually well up from underneath her eyelids, making crystalline tracks that caught the faintest rays of moonlight. Feeling them on his lips as he moved across her cheeks, Ash lifted his head in concern.

Are you okay? Is this too much?

Mary-Lynnette shook her head, pulling him down into a hug. No, this is okay, she answered. This week has just been really intense. We keep having these conversations; we keep growing closer. I feel like I'm drowning in all of it.

Ash lifted himself back up and lovingly brushed aside a few stray strands of her hair. He took one of her hands and threaded his fingers through hers before kissing the back of it and dragging his lips around her wrist and up her arm, sneaking under the collar of her t-shirt when he got to it. Gathering from the direction of her thoughts that she wouldn't be adverse to the gesture, he ran his hands underneath her shirt, slowly raising the hem as he caressed the tanned skin.

Forget the conversations, he urged her, joyous when he became aware of her muscles contracting from the unfamiliar pleasure. I want you to drown in me.

Ash ...

Let me breathe with you.

"Yes," she gasped, raising her upper body as he removed the shirt and lowered himself on top of her. The sensation of his bare chest pressed up against her own was almost too much for Mary-Lynnette, although she quickly got over the initial shock in light of the kisses Ash rained down upon her. Combined with the veritable shaking of their soulmate chord, her mind was miles above the earth.

Still, even with her mind almost completely absent from her body, Mary-Lynnette was able to convey a sentiment of the utmost importance:

You have my love - let me give you my life.

Feeling instinctively that the time was right, Ash nuzzled his way to Mary-Lynnette's neck, riveted upon the arc of her jaw and the pulse of her heartbeat.

Life? he echoed, feeling the familiar ache in his upper jaw. You're my Lady, Mary-Lynnette. With you, I think I even hope for heaven.

Mary-Lynnette was in such a rapturous state, that she didn't notice the sting of his canines. She only felt him; felt his soul rush to hers as their universe opened up. He grabbed onto her, merging his essence with hers until his fears were quieted. Until his soul stilled in peace.

Ash awoke in the pre-dawn hours, more sensing than knowing that it was around four in the morning. Mary-Lynnette was tucked tightly against him, her hair caught half-way underneath his left arm. He dropped his head back on to the pillow and savored the knowledge that not only was she beside him, but that her trust was increasing day by day. Mary-Lynnette was heavily guarded about her innermost feelings, and the night before had been as close to her as Ash had ever been able to get.

Although, part of him could hardly believe that she had let him. Or that she was even still with him. After completely losing it, he'd half expected her to get up and hitchhike back to Oregon. He couldn't remember ever having been that emotional, desperate, or out of control. Hell, he never dreamed that he had it in him to BE any of those things.

Regardless of any preconceived notions of his self-control, however, the truth was that Reina had scared him. A lot. And when he thought about what Mary-Lynnette must have been feeling, that she may have come to think that he was being unfaithful to her ... it was too much for him to handle. Just the thought of his soulmate suffering because of him was enough to make him severely unstable.

Sliding his right arm off of his side and over Mary-Lynnette, he managed to catch one of her hands in his. He was still thinking of their earlier conversation when he was startled from his reverie by her voice in his head.

If you're going to be brooding so loudly, could you at least do it in the other room?

Knowing that there was no real heat behind her remark, Ash smiled, glad that she was awake.

"If brooding is what gets such a lovely girl into my bed, then who am I to argue?"

Silence.

Oh, Christ, Romeo. Open mouth, insert foot.

Mary-Lynnette cleared her throat. "That was probably not one of your finer moments, but thanks for the compliment." Turning over, she rested her head at the same level of his, sharing the pillow. She saw him grinning sheepishly, and kissed him, amused at his embarrassment.

"I didn't mean that the way it came out, you know," he said, trying to figure out how far he needed to backtrack.

I know.

"Especially with everything that we talked about earlier," he maintained.

Ash, it's okay, really.

"I mean, I'd never equate you to other girls in my bed –"

Quit while you're ahead.

"Uh, right."

There was a more comfortable quiet between them this time, and Ash took the opportunity to run his fingers through Mary-Lynnette's soft tresses – he didn't think he would ever get tired of doing so. After a bit, she softly revealed: "I've been thinking about some of the things you said."

Ash braced himself for more heavy discussion. It really is all we do these days, he mused.

"When I first realized what kind of work you were doing," she confessed, "I wasn't really happy about it. That's one of the reasons I wanted to go with you to the club the other night – just to see what it was really all about. I ended up not thinking so much about the seducing part, and more about what our differences were because of the lives we've lived."

Ash nodded. It made sense after all, given the context of the dream she'd had.

"But," she admitted, "today was different, and when you came back just reeking of her perfume, I was pretty unsettled. I know you would never be unfaithful to me," she acknowledged, anticipating his sentiments. "I know I can trust you. But I just don't like the idea of other women touching you, and knowing you in a way that ... well, in a way that I do." She bit her lip and lowered her eyes. "I'm just sort of figuring out that I'm kind of on the territorial side."

Letting her words sink in, Ash eventually replied, "I think that makes me feel better, actually. I don't know how I would have handled it if you'd just decided to be infinitely understanding about everything. I think ... I like it that you're possessive. It means ... you care about me."

Mary-Lynnette couldn't resist the urge to smack his arm, albeit gently. "Well, yes," she said, blushing as she remembered how much their level of intimacy had recently escalated. Glancing down at herself with the memory, she turned an even brighter red when she realized that she was still just wearing her shorts.

"But still," she pressed on, nonchalantly dragging the blanket up underneath her arms. "I don't want to be an obstacle in the path of your growth. Circle Daybreak is a good organization, and you need to be able to help them."

"That's the thing, though," Ash said, turning on to his back and tucking his hands behind his head. Mary-Lynnette rolled with him, draping herself across his chest while still managing to stay covered. It was such an instinctive motion, that she was almost disoriented once she stopped and thought about her new position.

"I have other skills that Circle Daybreak could use," Ash pointed out. "I'm pretty good in a fight, I know a lot about tracking and camping, and I can even hack into a few computer systems here and there when the whim suits me. I'm a ... man for all seasons."

Ignoring the cultural reference, she questioned: "Have you told Thierry all this?"

"Yeah, that's one of the things I talked to him about when I got back. After tonight, I couldn't take it anymore. I can't be a playboy spy anymore. I can't handle what it's doing to me, what it means." Wrapping his arms around her and inhaling her unique scent, he added: "And like I said before, I hate how it makes you feel."

"Mmmm," she purred, snuggling into his embrace. Trying to stick to the conversation, she managed to ask: "Um ... what did he say?"

"He wants me to wait to make a decision until after we finish taking the pup to Maine. He says I'm overworked and that some time away may be enough to calm me down." The vampire shrugged. "I told him he was crazy, but he was pretty determined to keep the question open."

Mary-Lynnette smiled at him. "Well ... do what you need to do," she advised. "These are your demons ... you need to be able to fight them as you see fit."

"But I don't want you to suffer while I'm doing it."

Feeling very tender towards him, she took his hand and kissed the back of it.

And it's like how I said. Even if you hurt me, Ash, I couldn't ever leave you. We were born for each other ... it's only now that I'm coming to understand what that means.

Although he didn't reply vocally or through their telepathic connection, the chord was quick to convey to Mary-Lynnette how much Ash treasured her words. Beginning to feel sleepy again, she burrowed deeper into his arms, closing her eyes and giving into the bone-deep sense of contentment. She didn't even chastise him for slipping one of his hands under the blanket to gently rub her naked waist.

Before drifting off, she thought of something she'd wanted to tell him.

Ash?

Hmm?

I told Thea about our telepathy. She says that it's a pretty standard soulmate condition.

Oh, really?

I guess it starts after the two have been around each other for a little bit of time. Their bodies are supposed to adjust to each other's rhythms. In the end, it's a mind AND body action, although the telepathy only works between the couple.

With vampires ... is it because of sharing blood?

That's what the theory is.

Great ... did she have any advice to add to this veritable wealth of information?

Mary-Lynnette gave the closest approximation to an internal snicker as Ash had ever heard.

She says to be careful when using it in public. The stronger it gets the more ... physical sensations ... go with it.

You don't say.

That's what she – What are you doing?

It was some time before the pair finally fell asleep.

Shifting the pup from her right hip to her left, Mary-Lynnette bent down to pick up a set of toy keys that he'd dropped, receiving a happy "yip!" of thanks once the plaything was returned. Rolling her eyes at how deceptively pleasant her charge was being, she turned back to the conversation between Thea, Poppy, and Ash.

"... and be sure that you mix up his food," the redheaded vampire said, poking Ash in the chest with her pointer finger. "I mean it. He needs a combination of meat AND vegetable products. He can't have a full protein diet."

"And fruit, too," Thea said, gesturing to the large, cloth bag that some of Nilsson's aids were loading into the minivan that Circle Daybreak had arranged for the trip. "His stomach is delicate and he needs prunes to keep everything regular."

Discussing the best ways to ensure frequent bowel movements in werewolf children was not Ash's forte, but Mary-Lynnette was pleased to see that he was trying his hardest to pay attention. Contrary to his earlier assertions that he would not, under any circumstances "cuddle the mutt," she'd caught him giving the cub a gentle pat or two when they'd retrieved him from the nursery that morning. Although she pretty much figured that she would be the primary caregiver on the trip, it was nice to see that he was taking an interest in the child. To her, it was a welcome sign of his emotional growth and assumption of responsibility.

Especially since his reaction upon first seeing the minivan had been decidedly immature.

"I am not driving that mom-mobile!" Eyes wide with shock, he'd given her a pained expression. "Don't make me do this, Mary-Lynnette. I just, it's, it has a T.V. for Christ sake!"

They hadn't argued, exactly. Mary-Lynnette couldn't muster up enough agitation at seven-thirty in the morning to warrant the soulmate chord turning the nearby environment into the lovely fuchsia that often accompanied her irritation. Ash simply tried to make a (poorly formed) argument about the tactical disadvantages of driving a minivan. Mary-Lynnette was rebuffing him with statistical evidence that supported the vehicle's range of motion when Thea had pointed out that the minivan would adequately hide the werewolf baby's identity should any of their fellow motorists decide to examine the contents of their vehicle. Backed into a corner, unable to voice the retort that had come to his mind (We could just stick the kid in the trunk), and quite certain that Mary-Lynnette had heard said retort, he'd settled on sulking.

With the sulking done with, however, and the last instructions for the pup given to his temporary parents (as well as a most useful charm that Poppy had had made that would disguise the werewolf's appearance and vocal sounds when they took him to public venues), all that the pair needed was a final meeting with Thierry.

At quarter to eight, the older vampire stepped outside of the house, brandishing a number of envelopes and a small bag. He handed the folders to Ash and gravely regarded the werewolf child. Oblivious to Thierry's somewhat stern gaze, the cub barked at him, wagging his tail and leaning forward to sniff his hand. Mary-Lynnette was pleased when the Lord's face broke into a charming smile, and for some reason, although she couldn't explain it, began to look upon the trip with a sense of anticipation.

This could be fun, she decided.

"This is all of your travel information," Thierry told them, gesturing to the pile of papers that Ash was striving to keep organized. "You have your maps, your hotel arrangements, and all the financial documentation – credit cards, cash, and so forth. You'll also find licenses (You don't mind that we copied your original driver's license, do you, Mary-Lynnette?), passports in the case of the unusual, and a letter for the adoptive parents."

Blinking in amazement, Mary-Lynnette looked over at the contents of the envelope and saw that they had indeed used her original license picture for a new one that made her a number of years older, and married.

Wait.

Married?

"Uh, Thierry?" she ventured, reexamining the two forged documents and seeing that, indeed, she and Ash appeared to be husband and wife.

Shaking the cloth bag, she heard the soft "tink!" of metal. "Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. North."

"North?" she echoed, glancing around in confusion when a number of people around her groaned.

"Not funny, Thierry," Poppy droned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

I don't get it?

Ash coughed, trying not to stare at the rings as Thierry emptied the bag into his palm. "Poppy's last name," he explained. Turning to his boss, he nearly sneered: "That's very cute. Did it take you all night to come up with such a good plan?"

Thierry shrugged. "It makes sense for you to pose as the child's parents. And, for convenience, it makes even more sense for you to be married. Or," he questioned them, arching a thin, blonde eyebrow, "are you saying that the arrangement makes you unhappy?"

With the eyes of at least six people on him, Ash knew he had to choose his next words carefully.

Snarky or suave? Snarky or suave? he pondered. Glancing at Mary-Lynnette and seeing that she was staring at the rings with skepticism, he decided.

Suave.

Reaching into the van and sticking the folders in a pocket between the driver and front passenger seats, Ash turned to Thierry and took the smaller of the two rings, figuring that Circle Daybreak managed to get Mary-Lynnette's ring size. She glanced at him with a panicked expression, and he clearly heard her wonder: What in God's name is he up to?

Taking her left hand, he swallowed away the intense sense of premonition of a future time when something similar might actually take place. "I would never think that being married to Mary-Lynnette would be anything less than finding heaven." Mary-Lynnette couldn't help but think of his words to her the night before, and tried hard to quell the sentimental response that threatened. He gave her a sweet half-smile in understanding. "I just didn't want to mock such a special bond."

All of the spectators were silent, unprepared for the neigh unheard of display of love and tenderness from Ash Redfern. He reached over and took the other ring from Thierry's hand, placing it on his ring finger. Observing the metal type, he shrugged. "I'm partial to gold, myself, but you take what you can get."

At this point the wolf pup began to fuss, unsure of what exactly was going on around him but discontent that he was being ignored. Mary-Lynnette took him to the van and proceeded to buckle him into the specially prepared child seat.

"Don't let the metal type fool you," Thierry cautioned. "These are specially crafted so that we can track you on your trip. If anything should happen, this is what will help us find you again. Also," he added as Mary-Lynnette shut the van's sliding door and tossed her purse in front of the passenger seat, "remember to call in every twelve hours. I know it's somewhat tedious, but it's really for your safety." The last was said with a firm glare in Ash's direction. He flashed Thierry a carefree smile and shrugged. "I try to check in, but what can I say? I'm a busy man."

Raising his eyes skyward, Mary-Lynnette could almost hear the prayer pass through Thierry's lips. She chuckled and, feeling more confident, patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry; I'll keep him in line. If he messes up, I'll just buy a rolling pin or something."

It was amidst chuckles, humorous conjectures, numerous photos and one video camera that Ash circled the van around the driveway before driving toward the gate. He knew without a doubt that this mission would be forever recorded in Circle Daybreak history.

"If we're really lucky," he joked, "they'll even play the tape at the winter solstice party."

"At least they can't complain if we make them watch slides from our honeymoon," Mary-Lynnette deadpanned, reaching into the folder for the map. After perusing it for a moment, she directed: "Okay, so we're going to want to get on I-15 North towards Salt Lake City ..."

XDDDDDDDD

This chapter was a beast to write. I really hope that you guys liked it, and, of course, I never turn away reviews (Praise and criticism are the fundamental components to my life. Besides Phantom. And James Barbour (OMGRochester)).

Um. Heh. Okay. Now to thank my wonderful, kind, generous, loving reviewers. You are my guides in dark times, and I write for your benefit. Thank-you so much to all who stick with me through bizarre mood swings and long periods of time without updates.

Angel from Fairyland:chuckle: Ash still has a bit of growth ahead of him. But I really think he's on the right track to getting his head together. I have a couple of other twists coming up for him, and Mary-Lynnette. Your review was wonderful to receive – it was my first bit of validation after a ridiculous hiatus. Thank-you so much for submitting it!

Drowning Rooster: You are by far the most persistent of my reviewers. :chuckle: I'm sorry about the updated-chapter confusion, but this time it was for real! And look, I didn't even put an evil cliffhanger in this one!

laura: Confusion is the essence of a great story. Um. Well, maybe not, but at least it keeps you interested ;). I hope that the wait wasn't too bad this time around, and I'll try my best (as usual) to get the next chapter out before we all die of natural causes. Thank-you for the (extremely!) encouraging review.

jellysnakes:chuckles: I really appreciate your compliments. I hope this chapter was just the right sort for your update needs.

Piscean Wisdom: 'Queen of Fluffyness'? No way! Thank-you so much for the honor! I hope that this chapter lived up to the title – I tried my best! And, although this is belated, I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Dogs die in hot cars: Poor Ash and poor Mare is right. I feel so bad that I keep making them do all of these conversations – and they haven't even been together for a full week, yet. Still, I can't help but feel that these are things that they really need to talk about, and that the pace is probably about right for a soulmate couple. I'm hoping that I can stop being so mean to them in the future, but I imagine there's still much angst to go. Thanks for the review!

Filan Vampire: The action portion is definitely forthcoming. There were just a lot of things I wanted to set down right now so that they can come back later and give the story some additional depth. We've really gone through a lot of emotional growth in these recent chapters, and now it's time to get back to the plot (seeing as everything is finally in place). :chuckle: And, I hope that I catered adequately to your enthusiasm for angst.

incarnated-soul: I don't think anybody likes Reina. :chuckles: She's a difficult character, and I'm still amazed at the depth of her personality. We fight a lot, in that strange author/character way. And don't worry about the evil things. I am an extreme fan of happy endings, so all will be resolved.

fate22:chuckle: Your reaction to Reina reminds me of my earlier reaction to Sam. It's just annoying when these other girls try to get in the way of True Love. Still, don't worry, the Soulmate Chord (and the persistence of our two main characters) will conquer all. I need to get on the bandwagon and read Hesitating – just haven't had the time recently. Are you going to work on it during the summer? Or another story? I look forward to reading anything that you decide to post.

Shattered immortality: I love your reviews. They're always so long and informative and they keep me writing at two o'clock in the morning. As to further conflict (kidnappings, manipulations, cliffhangers), I shall say nothing, but just be reassured that all will turn out in a positive way for all. Reina is someone that I think will continue to frustrate and surprise people. Even I'm not sure about all of the nuances in her character, but I'll agree that she has a wide range of emotions. And yes, the pup is the cutest thing I think I've ever written. Thank-you so much for your wonderful comments!

Lunatic:blush: Thank-you! I try very hard to keep the plot and fluff balanced, but it's difficult to do when I have so many things I need to put into position for the actual plot to make sense and be interesting. I suppose it's just another part of learning to be a better writer. I hope that you liked this update ;)

Wizzy: I'm so flattered that you liked the story! I hope you got my email that this was updated – for future updates, you may want to check out Author Alert. You don't have to be a member to use it, and it will let you keep track of all the stories that you like.

Again, thank-you to all who take the time to drop me words of encouragement and inspiration. I love hearing about what you liked and what could make this story better, and it really keeps me going in light of long hours of study. As usual, I can't promise when our next chapter will be out ... but I'll try to make it soon. And in the end, take heart, summer is only nine weeks away, and then we'll get back into an Extreme Writing Groove.

See you next time!